A biomechanical international network for the assessment of tissue engineered blood vessels

Development of electrospun scaffolds for tissue engineering vascular grafts requires the integration of well differentiated and complementary disciplines. The aim of present work is to describe a cooperative experience in biomedical research developed between academic institutions of Argentina and Uruguay. Electrospinning technique, high resolution ultrasound in-vitro measurements and signal processing algorithms were implemented in order to characterize and improve the mechanical response of mono and bi-layered polymeric structures. Each stage of the process was defined based on the maximal capabilities and expertise of each laboratory, thus optimizing the available resources.